The Power of Persevering Prayer
Thursday of the First Week of Lent C
Esther 12, 14-16, 23-25; Psalm 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8; Matthew 7:7-12
Today, the Word of God invites us to reflect on the power of prayer. We begin with the story of Queen Esther, a woman caught in a desperate situation. Her people, the Israelites, faced annihilation, and she, though queen, was powerless in human terms. But she turned to the one source of true power—God. She did not rely on her position or influence; instead, she fasted, prayed, and called on her people to do the same. And what happened? God answered her plea and saved His people.
This is not just an ancient story—it is a lesson for every age, including ours. Throughout history, whenever the Church has faced trials, prayer has been the weapon that turned the tide. Whenever believers have found themselves lost, uncertain, or afraid, prayer has been their anchor. It was true for Esther, and it is true for us.
The Psalm today continues this theme. The psalmist proclaims: “On the day I called, you answered me; you increased the strength of my soul.” He does not speak of a distant, indifferent God, but a God who listens, who responds, who strengthens. This is why we should always have a heart full of thanksgiving. How many times have we turned to God in our struggles, and He has answered? Even when the answer was not what we expected, He was always there.
Then, in the Gospel, Jesus Himself teaches us how to pray: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.” Notice how Jesus doesn’t just tell us to pray once and be done with it. He speaks of persistence. Asking is the first step, but then we must go further—we must seek. And even beyond that, we must knock, keep knocking until the door is opened. This is not about wearing God down, but about deepening our trust in Him.
To illustrate this, Jesus gives us a simple but profound example. A child asks his father for food. What kind of father would give his son a stone instead of bread? Or a snake instead of fish? If even we, flawed as we are, know how to care for our children, how much more will our heavenly Father give us what we need? This changes how we see prayer. We are not calling out to an impersonal force or a distant ruler—we are speaking to our Father, who loves us. And that should give us confidence.
Today, let us renew our trust in God. Let us not grow weary in prayer but approach Him with the boldness of children who know they are loved. Let us ask, seek, and knock—not because we demand things from God, but because we trust that He, in His wisdom, will always give us what we truly need. And in all things, let us give thanks, for our God is a Father who listens and answers.